Security experts agree: It is
dangerous to use a Windows PC for online banking.
Unfortunately, this is now becoming true for Macs as well.
Ubuntu Linux is a free version of the Linux operating system
It can be used to safely access online banking Web sites
It can be used without altering your PC or Mac for "normal" use
It will seem familiar to you whether you use Windows or OS X.
Using links below, you can download a version of Linux named
'Ubuntu for eBanking' that has been customized for online security.
Following notes on this page, it is possible to create a "Live USB" memory
stick that can be used to run Ubuntu on both a PC and a Mac. Please read
and agree to the license agreement before
using Ubuntu for eBanking.
Maybe, but I want more information first!
That's a good idea. This is an unofficial version of Ubuntu —
so how do you know that this version doesn't contain malware? It does
not, but I can't prove to you something that I didn't do.
However, you may feel confident after you understand how and why this
is here.
After spending years looking for a good solution to problems
with online security, last year, following the recommendations of
security experts, I created a custom version of "Puppy" Linux (and a
custom version of Linux is needed to access accounts at Banco Nacional
here in Costa Rica &mdash the Java application is required, but is
not included with most Linux distributions). While the "Puppy project"
was successful, Puppy Linux proved to be rather difficult
to use, and a better solution was needed.
As a retired software engineer who spent many years in Silicon Valley
desiging and creating online security systems, I am confident that this
package, Ubuntu for eBanking, is safe to use for banking on any
computer. I use this nearly every day.
After reading the above information, if you still feel uncertain, you might
want to start with an official version of Ubuntu. Feel free to take some
of the suggestions here to make using Ubuntu
safer for online use.
Start by reading each of the three steps so you'll know what to expect,
then just follow the steps. Downloading the large Ubuntu Zip file will be
the longest part. The first two steps only need to be done once. After
that, you can start Ubuntu from a little USB memory stick, without altering
your computer for day-to-day use.
In brief, the three steps are as follows, with details below.
1. Download two or three ZIP archive files to your computer
2, Extract the contents of the ZIP files to the top-level of your
USB stick
For use with a PC, run a one-time setup script to make the
USB stick "bootable"
For use only on a Mac, you do not need to run any setup script
3. Restart your computer to try it out
PC users may need to make a one-time adjustment to the "boot priority"
Mac users do not need to make any adjustments
And, before you start, make sure your PC / Mac will work with all of this.
If you use a PC, first confirm whether your
PC can boot from a USB memory stick
(don't make changs you aren't sure of. If you have questions, leave a comment on the blog).
Step 2: Copy contents of the ZIP archives to a USB memory stick
You will need at lest 1GB of free space. This should not harm
any existing
files on the USB, but it's always best to have a
backup of your data to be safe.
Connect a USB memory stick to your computer
Check the top-level directory of the USB stick to make sure
there are not already directories with the names used below.
If there are, and you have not already completed these setup
steps, you will need to move the existing directories or use
a different USB stick.
Unzip the contents of each ZIP file into the top-level
directory of the USB stick
Here are some
"How
To Unzip" tips for WinXP, Vista, Win 7, OS X, and Linux.
X:\ubuntu-ebank
<--- extract the 'ubuntu'
files here
(for both PC and Mac)
X:\boot
<--- extract the 'boot-syslinux'
files here
(for booting a PC only)
X:\efi
<--- extract the 'efi-boot'
files here
(for booting a Mac only)
Technical Note: If you already boot from your USB stick
do not copy the \boot files. Update your
boot menu using entries for Grub2 or
Syslinux,
if appropriate, and skip the next part also — do not run
the setup script.
For PC Only: Run a one-time setup script to make
your USB memory stick "bootable"
This step is only necessary if you will use your Live USB
to run Ubuntu
on a PC, and can be done on a Windows PC, a Mac, or a Linuc PC.
X:\boot\syslinux\setup.bat
(run this on a Windows PC only)
/media/<DRIVE>/boot/syslinux/setup.sh
(run this on a Linux PC only)
Note: Do not run this script if you already boot from this USB stick,
unless you are certain that is what you want to do.
Step 3: Give it a Try
Restart your computer
With your new "Live USB" memory stick connected,
restart your computer.
If all goes well, you should soon see a menu of choices that
includes the following entries. Use the arrow keys on your keyboard
to select the option that is appropriate for you, and press the
[Enter] key to start Ubuntu.
For PC Only
If you have never 'booted' your PC from a USB stick before,
the first time you may need to adjust your PC's "boot priority"
— see
these instructions for details &mdash but, again, this will not
alter how your PC works normally. You should soon see the menu
described just above.
Please use care when making BIOS changes to your PC.
After you select from the menu described above, you should
see several lines of text with some 'dots' marching quickly
across the screen. After that, lines of text will scroll quickly
up the screen for a few seconds, and then you should see a purple
screen with the Ubuntu logo. Within a minute you should see the
Ubuntu Desktop.
For Mac Only
As you turn on your computer, while your Mac is starting, hold the
[Option] key down until you see a yellow
USB disk icon appear.
Double-click this icon and you should soon see the menu described
just above.
After you select from the menu described above, it will take a few
minutes to boot Ubuntu. You should see several lines of text that will
not change for a minute or so, and then see a purple screen with the
Ubuntu logo for another minute before the Ubuntu Desktop appears.
When you see the Ubuntu Desktop
Congratulations, it works! Double-click on the
'Getting Started'
document that you will find on the Desktop for a
quick start guide to using Ubuntu for eBanking.
If these instructions sound complicated, don't be worried. The
installation and setup is only done once for each USB stick. After
you become used to using Ubuntu, you will find that startup takes
less time than booting Windows or OS X.
How do I get help with this?
If you have questions or experience problems, help is available. Start with the following links.
